Boyfriend of missing woman arrested

Published: Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 5:35 a.m.

OCALA - A 36-year-old man considered to be a person of interest in the disappearance of his 39-year-old girlfriend, who was last seen alive on April 21, 2007, is at the Marion County Jail on a weapons charge, according to sheriff's detectives.

Billy Joe Ashton, whose last known address was 14 Oak Pass Loop in Silver Springs Shores, was transferred from the Bay County Correctional Institute in Bay County early Monday morning where Detective Rhonda Stroup issued a warrant for his arrest for possession of a firearm by a felon.

Tim Blackburn, father of the missing girl, Christine Blackburn-Wiles, believes Ashton has something to do with his daughter's disappearance.

"I hope that he will say something. I hope we can find her, give her a proper funeral and give us closure. He needs to be brought to justice," Blackburn said.

Sheriff's Maj. Chris Blair said, "Certainly, he was the last one seen with her. You could call him a person of interest."

Detectives say Ashton has been uncooperative during the investigation from the start.

Detectives conducted two searches in the Ocala National Forest in 2007. They found a 1995 Chrysler New Yorker at the home of one of his relatives. They found her blood in the trunk of the car.

Blackburn-Wiles left Ocala for Texas to look for a job. She returned to Ocala, where her father saw her with Ashton.

The next day, Blackburn-Wiles and her sister went to a couple of bars outside Belleview. Ashton, who was at one of the bars, reportedly followed them, and Blackburn-Wiles told her sister to pull over. She got into the Chrysler that Ashton was driving.

It was the last time a family member saw her.

Ashton was convicted in 2007 of habitually driving with a suspended license and was sentenced to five years.

In 1998, he was arrested by Ocala police and charged with sexual battery, kidnapping and battery on his then-girlfriend following an alleged attack in the Forest. The sexual battery charge was dropped. He was sentenced to a little more than seven years in prison.

He was released in 2006, but was arrested in March 2007 after he was stopped for a driving infraction in the Forest.

In this latest case, Stroup discovered that while Ashton was living at his mother's home in the Shores, he was in possession of a firearm.

Ashton's mother told Stroup that she saw a gun in her son's closet after he went to prison.

Stroup said she received a call from a sergeant telling her that deputies had recovered a gun at 14 Oak Pass Loop.

Stroup then interviewed Ashton's son, who told her that while moving his father's sofa from the garage, a .41 Ruger fell from beneath the cushion.

He said his father was in possession of the weapon sometime in April 2007.

The weapon, along with the holster, ammunition box and ammunition found with the firearm was sent to the lab for DNA testing. Officials said three bullets were missing from the ammunition box.

Asked if the weapon had anything to do with Blackburn-Wiles' case, Blair said, "We're continuing to await the results of the testing by Florida Department of Law Enforcement before elaborating."

Ashton refused an interview request by the Star-Banner.

Austin Miller may be reached at austin.miller@starbanner.com or at 867-4118.

<p>OCALA - A 36-year-old man considered to be a person of interest in the disappearance of his 39-year-old girlfriend, who was last seen alive on April 21, 2007, is at the Marion County Jail on a weapons charge, according to sheriff's detectives.</p><p>Billy Joe Ashton, whose last known address was 14 Oak Pass Loop in Silver Springs Shores, was transferred from the Bay County Correctional Institute in Bay County early Monday morning where Detective Rhonda Stroup issued a warrant for his arrest for possession of a firearm by a felon.</p><p>Tim Blackburn, father of the missing girl, Christine Blackburn-Wiles, believes Ashton has something to do with his daughter's disappearance.</p><p>"I hope that he will say something. I hope we can find her, give her a proper funeral and give us closure. He needs to be brought to justice," Blackburn said.</p><p>Sheriff's Maj. Chris Blair said, "Certainly, he was the last one seen with her. You could call him a person of interest."</p><p>Detectives say Ashton has been uncooperative during the investigation from the start.</p><p>Detectives conducted two searches in the Ocala National Forest in 2007. They found a 1995 Chrysler New Yorker at the home of one of his relatives. They found her blood in the trunk of the car.</p><p>Blackburn-Wiles left Ocala for Texas to look for a job. She returned to Ocala, where her father saw her with Ashton.</p><p>The next day, Blackburn-Wiles and her sister went to a couple of bars outside Belleview. Ashton, who was at one of the bars, reportedly followed them, and Blackburn-Wiles told her sister to pull over. She got into the Chrysler that Ashton was driving.</p><p>It was the last time a family member saw her.</p><p>Ashton was convicted in 2007 of habitually driving with a suspended license and was sentenced to five years.</p><p>In 1998, he was arrested by Ocala police and charged with sexual battery, kidnapping and battery on his then-girlfriend following an alleged attack in the Forest. The sexual battery charge was dropped. He was sentenced to a little more than seven years in prison.</p><p>He was released in 2006, but was arrested in March 2007 after he was stopped for a driving infraction in the Forest.</p><p>In this latest case, Stroup discovered that while Ashton was living at his mother's home in the Shores, he was in possession of a firearm.</p><p>Ashton's mother told Stroup that she saw a gun in her son's closet after he went to prison.</p><p>Stroup said she received a call from a sergeant telling her that deputies had recovered a gun at 14 Oak Pass Loop.</p><p>Stroup then interviewed Ashton's son, who told her that while moving his father's sofa from the garage, a .41 Ruger fell from beneath the cushion.</p><p>He said his father was in possession of the weapon sometime in April 2007.</p><p>The weapon, along with the holster, ammunition box and ammunition found with the firearm was sent to the lab for DNA testing. Officials said three bullets were missing from the ammunition box.</p><p>Asked if the weapon had anything to do with Blackburn-Wiles' case, Blair said, "We're continuing to await the results of the testing by Florida Department of Law Enforcement before elaborating."</p><p>Ashton refused an interview request by the Star-Banner.</p><p><i>Austin Miller may be reached at austin.miller@starbanner.com or at 867-4118.</i></p>